arieltf's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing. I have never read such in-depth accounts of undercover slaughterhouse workers. It was only a fraction of the whole book, but it will absolutely stick with me.
Nathan Runkle spends a few pages detailing his journey at the beginning of the book as a young gay teen in rural Ohio to the founder of one of the largest animal rights organizations in the world. I first heard a little of his journey on the Chickpeeps Podcast (hosted by Evanna Lynch aka Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movie franchise if that matters to you), and I knew immediately I had to read his book.
Runkle's book covers his path toward veganism, his early activism, the growth of his organization, the cruelties of the meat and dairy industry, how Mercy for Animals has made a real impact in the otherwise impenetrable meat industry in the United States, and how to live a happier, more fulfilling life in a world that can seem hopeless and doomed. I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Taking in information about animal abuse in factory farms is difficult, and those stories are often presented in detached, gratuitous, gruesome ways, similar to how 4chan trolls post torture porn to get a reaction out of unsuspecting viewers. I didn't feel like these animals' stories were presented in that way, partly because they were shown through the eyes of the undercover investigators whose investigations led to enormous wins for animal welfare. Thank you, investigators! I feel reinvigorated to do my part to help the causes and organizations I care about.
Nathan Runkle spends a few pages detailing his journey at the beginning of the book as a young gay teen in rural Ohio to the founder of one of the largest animal rights organizations in the world. I first heard a little of his journey on the Chickpeeps Podcast (hosted by Evanna Lynch aka Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movie franchise if that matters to you), and I knew immediately I had to read his book.
Runkle's book covers his path toward veganism, his early activism, the growth of his organization, the cruelties of the meat and dairy industry, how Mercy for Animals has made a real impact in the otherwise impenetrable meat industry in the United States, and how to live a happier, more fulfilling life in a world that can seem hopeless and doomed. I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Taking in information about animal abuse in factory farms is difficult, and those stories are often presented in detached, gratuitous, gruesome ways, similar to how 4chan trolls post torture porn to get a reaction out of unsuspecting viewers. I didn't feel like these animals' stories were presented in that way, partly because they were shown through the eyes of the undercover investigators whose investigations led to enormous wins for animal welfare. Thank you, investigators! I feel reinvigorated to do my part to help the causes and organizations I care about.
galian84's review against another edition
5.0
This book has effectively reinforced my decision to be a monthly donor for MFA. What fantastic work they do, and how inspiring Mr. Runkle's story is! And to think he started advocating at such a young age. Most of us see and hear about evil, but don't want to do anything about it. This man did, and what a difference he's making.
I'm not a full-fledged vegan, and am what you would call a flexitarian. I eat 80% vegan/plant based and 20% animal products (mostly when I'm at family gatherings with mine or the boyfriend's family, or if I'm eating somewhere with others where they don't have good vegetarian options). But I care very much about nutrition and where my food comes from, and have always loved animals, all my life.
The book starts off with Nathan Runkle's story and how he eventually founded the organization. He talks about various investigators with MFA and what they documented when they went undercover at factory farms (not for the faint of heart, but informative, eye-opening, and necessary to know. After all, we all have a right to know where our food is coming from and what we're putting in our bodies). It concludes with plant-based companies and options, and a chapter on how you can help to make a difference.
I donate monthly to MFA and will continue to do so, because they're doing wonderful work.
Highly recommended for anyone who's looking for ways to make eating and living more compassionate, anyone who loves animals, and anyone who wants to know where our meat and dairy and eggs truly comes from (at least, 99% of it).
I'm not a full-fledged vegan, and am what you would call a flexitarian. I eat 80% vegan/plant based and 20% animal products (mostly when I'm at family gatherings with mine or the boyfriend's family, or if I'm eating somewhere with others where they don't have good vegetarian options). But I care very much about nutrition and where my food comes from, and have always loved animals, all my life.
The book starts off with Nathan Runkle's story and how he eventually founded the organization. He talks about various investigators with MFA and what they documented when they went undercover at factory farms (not for the faint of heart, but informative, eye-opening, and necessary to know. After all, we all have a right to know where our food is coming from and what we're putting in our bodies). It concludes with plant-based companies and options, and a chapter on how you can help to make a difference.
I donate monthly to MFA and will continue to do so, because they're doing wonderful work.
Highly recommended for anyone who's looking for ways to make eating and living more compassionate, anyone who loves animals, and anyone who wants to know where our meat and dairy and eggs truly comes from (at least, 99% of it).
erincharp's review against another edition
5.0
Obviously I don't eat meat, so this book was preaching to the choir. That said, I do feel that everyone should read it. It's so easy to overlook the absolute abhorrent abuse that goes on in CAFOs all over the country because it isn't in our faces. Yet, the abuse to animals, to sentient beings, is appalling. Even if you continue to eat meat, I do think it's important to know what your bacon goes through before it hits your plate and through MFAs years of undercover operations into corporate factory farms, some changes have been made, but so many more need to come.
lovelycatalina's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so inspiring. I can’t believe that something filled with such dark subject matter and horrific imagery can still end up feeling uplifting and positive. I think this is an excellent read for anyone interested in learning more about factory farming, what’s been done to curb abuses, and what further activism is needed.
patsaintsfan's review against another edition
5.0
This is a wonderful book. One that I wish everyone would read. It is such a passionate book, and quite informative. Nathan has a huge heart for animals, and is dedicated to sharing his experiences and knowledge with anyone willing to have an open heart. I highly recommend this book. I was very glad to have won this through a Library Thing giveaway. A great win!
edebell's review against another edition
5.0
Note: This is a review of an animal rights title with some heavy content. If you follow me for my fiction (thank you!), know that while I am passionate about my own beliefs, I respect that others see things differently. I hope you’ll continue to follow me—I appreciate your readership! Now, to the review. : )
If you don’t understand why people are vegan, what’s wrong with dairy or eggs, and/or you think of active animal rights protestors as going too far (I think this sometimes also), I urge you to read this book. Nathan’s story starts with his upbringing and motivations, but quickly shifts to graphic descriptions of the famous undercover operations conducted by Mercy For Animals (MFA). I had seen the videos; they have helped shape my life over the last decade. But now to see the faces, hear the stories behind those videos—it was gripping. By partway through the book, my hands were shaking with rage and horror. And I already knew what happened. If you don’t know, please consider hearing Nathan’s stories. Even if they don’t influence your own beliefs, they should provide a better understanding of why vegans feel the way they do. (Personal note: that’s not about food. It’s about what our relationship is and should be with other species. And how we impact suffering and joy in the world, the way that we see it.) Then the book ends with a positive section - about plant-based food alternatives and vegans who are changing the world.
If you are a vegan and require no convincing, it’s worth reading to hear the details of these undercover operations and the brave heroes who conducted them. Be warned—it’s as ugly as you think it’s going to be. And the whole time you will be internally screaming that making exploitation humane isn’t even the point. But yet, MFA’s reforms have reduced suffering for so many. What they have done and are doing must be embraced as we strive for a greater ideal. If you don’t think you can handle these upsetting stories, consider buying an e-book to show support. Or donate to MFA. By the way, you’ll probably skim the last section as I did, since I know more than I need to about plant-based proteins and famous vegans. (Also, still ewww on lab-grown tissue and egg fluid. Sorry, I cannot be convinced on this!)
The story had additional personal significance as I spent the last ten years in the Dayton, Ohio region where Nathan grew up, and now know the surroundings and culture well, including the attitudes toward dairy, eggs, leather, and meat.
The book is also a fast read. Well worth your time.
Nathan and all the MFA undercover agents, thank you for your sacrifice and thank you for sharing your stories. They will not leave me.
If you don’t understand why people are vegan, what’s wrong with dairy or eggs, and/or you think of active animal rights protestors as going too far (I think this sometimes also), I urge you to read this book. Nathan’s story starts with his upbringing and motivations, but quickly shifts to graphic descriptions of the famous undercover operations conducted by Mercy For Animals (MFA). I had seen the videos; they have helped shape my life over the last decade. But now to see the faces, hear the stories behind those videos—it was gripping. By partway through the book, my hands were shaking with rage and horror. And I already knew what happened. If you don’t know, please consider hearing Nathan’s stories. Even if they don’t influence your own beliefs, they should provide a better understanding of why vegans feel the way they do. (Personal note: that’s not about food. It’s about what our relationship is and should be with other species. And how we impact suffering and joy in the world, the way that we see it.) Then the book ends with a positive section - about plant-based food alternatives and vegans who are changing the world.
If you are a vegan and require no convincing, it’s worth reading to hear the details of these undercover operations and the brave heroes who conducted them. Be warned—it’s as ugly as you think it’s going to be. And the whole time you will be internally screaming that making exploitation humane isn’t even the point. But yet, MFA’s reforms have reduced suffering for so many. What they have done and are doing must be embraced as we strive for a greater ideal. If you don’t think you can handle these upsetting stories, consider buying an e-book to show support. Or donate to MFA. By the way, you’ll probably skim the last section as I did, since I know more than I need to about plant-based proteins and famous vegans. (Also, still ewww on lab-grown tissue and egg fluid. Sorry, I cannot be convinced on this!)
The story had additional personal significance as I spent the last ten years in the Dayton, Ohio region where Nathan grew up, and now know the surroundings and culture well, including the attitudes toward dairy, eggs, leather, and meat.
The book is also a fast read. Well worth your time.
Nathan and all the MFA undercover agents, thank you for your sacrifice and thank you for sharing your stories. They will not leave me.
mmking108's review against another edition
4.0
This book was very eye-opening and inspiring. There are some pretty graphic descriptions of the horrible ways animals are treated on factory farms, but it isn't all doom and gloom. It describes what is wrong with factory farms, what Mercy for Animals has done to combat those problems, and ends with descriptions of technological advances that are changing the food industry for the better, and ways that we as individuals can help this cause. I really appreciated the last two chapters in particular because they gave me hope that things can change.
clairegannondorf's review against another edition
informative
sad
fast-paced
5.0
I went vegan for my health, as I had been battling an eating disorder for several years. When I went vegan, everything changed for me. It was like something clicked in my mind and body. I heard about this book after the author had been on The Chickpeeps Podcast. At the time I was definitely more focused on Veganism for health.
This book helped me make the connection to the animals and realize how sick and unethical factory agriculture is. I know that the world isn’t going to go vegan overnight, and you don’t have to be a vegan or an aspiring vegan to read this. You should read this book if you have any interest in ethical rights for living beings. If you want to know where your food is coming from- ya know, the ‘farm to table’ idea- this book will inform you of the amount of suffering that goes in to each meal with animal products on your table, especially if the animal product is coming from a factory farm.
One thing this book does really well is highlight the egg industry and how absolutely terrible it is. I get it, you want to eat eggs. If you are going to eat eggs after reading this book, AT LEAST make the switch to eggs that are raised from a friend with backyard chickens who have actual fresh air and a yard to roam in. The factory farming model for egg production is honestly worse than any other animal farming method, which is confusing right? Because it’s just the egg, not the actual chicken being killed. But with the events depicted in this book, witnessed by the author, the suffering these birds endure seems to be even worse than their demise. Fabulous book and a necessary read for anyone who eats animal products or doesn’t want to go back to eating animal products.
I do have to note that the organization- MERCY FOR ANIMALS- has apparently accepted monomial offers to promote cage free eggs, which baffles me because this book is adamantly fighting against cage free eggs, as ‘cage free’ doesn’t mean a thing when you still don’t have enough space in the barn to walk because of the amount of animals, along with stepping in bird feces 24/7.
This book helped me make the connection to the animals and realize how sick and unethical factory agriculture is. I know that the world isn’t going to go vegan overnight, and you don’t have to be a vegan or an aspiring vegan to read this. You should read this book if you have any interest in ethical rights for living beings. If you want to know where your food is coming from- ya know, the ‘farm to table’ idea- this book will inform you of the amount of suffering that goes in to each meal with animal products on your table, especially if the animal product is coming from a factory farm.
One thing this book does really well is highlight the egg industry and how absolutely terrible it is. I get it, you want to eat eggs. If you are going to eat eggs after reading this book, AT LEAST make the switch to eggs that are raised from a friend with backyard chickens who have actual fresh air and a yard to roam in. The factory farming model for egg production is honestly worse than any other animal farming method, which is confusing right? Because it’s just the egg, not the actual chicken being killed. But with the events depicted in this book, witnessed by the author, the suffering these birds endure seems to be even worse than their demise. Fabulous book and a necessary read for anyone who eats animal products or doesn’t want to go back to eating animal products.
I do have to note that the organization- MERCY FOR ANIMALS- has apparently accepted monomial offers to promote cage free eggs, which baffles me because this book is adamantly fighting against cage free eggs, as ‘cage free’ doesn’t mean a thing when you still don’t have enough space in the barn to walk because of the amount of animals, along with stepping in bird feces 24/7.
heatherreads10's review
medium-paced
2.0
I wanted to learn more about MFA and have been meaning to read this for a long time. I don’t think it’s an inherently bad book and it’s clear the author cares deeply about animals. I didn’t realize there would be so many graphic descriptions of what happens to animals which I didn’t enjoy reading about as I already knew all of this information and have read about/watched it many times before so it's often gratuitous to me at this point, but that's more of a personal thing. I more so wanted to learn about how the organization started, although I should’ve realized it would’ve included a lot about the undercover investigations. I did like the look into how the author got started in activism.
My biggest issue with this book is that it is so incredibly… capitalist. Therefore, I don’t agree with many of the things that the author thinks will make big change in the world for animals – in a system that is built around profit and infinite growth, there will ALWAYS be exploitation of both human and non-human animals. I appreciate that there’s a need in this current society for organizations like MFA to improve welfare in the short term and small steps can be important, but we also have to think far beyond just welfare. Instead, the author ended the book by talking about innovation and profit potential in the plant-based sector of the market. He wants to create a “humane economy” where plant-based foods are cheaper and the norm but says nothing about how most of the companies he mentions (many of which are large/multinational corporations) creating plant-based products would still be incredibly unethical and unsustainable – animal liberation must account for ALL animals. For example, he briefly talked about the abuse that migrant workers in slaughterhouses go through but in his version of a "humane economy," those people would simply be pushed to other exploitative and degrading work. Similarly, in the case of companies like Nestle which he talked quite a bit about, even if they somehow stopped producing all animal products, they are still a multinational corporation that greatly impacts wildlife habitats and exploits humans and nature at an incredibly frightening degree. A capitalist food system and economy will never be a “humane” one.
I do appreciate the lengths that the author and MFA have gone to to protect farm animals and doing what they can, but I think so many more things in this book needed to be discussed that were just left out. I think we have similar intent but a very different path and end goal so this book was not my cup of tea.
My biggest issue with this book is that it is so incredibly… capitalist. Therefore, I don’t agree with many of the things that the author thinks will make big change in the world for animals – in a system that is built around profit and infinite growth, there will ALWAYS be exploitation of both human and non-human animals. I appreciate that there’s a need in this current society for organizations like MFA to improve welfare in the short term and small steps can be important, but we also have to think far beyond just welfare. Instead, the author ended the book by talking about innovation and profit potential in the plant-based sector of the market. He wants to create a “humane economy” where plant-based foods are cheaper and the norm but says nothing about how most of the companies he mentions (many of which are large/multinational corporations) creating plant-based products would still be incredibly unethical and unsustainable – animal liberation must account for ALL animals. For example, he briefly talked about the abuse that migrant workers in slaughterhouses go through but in his version of a "humane economy," those people would simply be pushed to other exploitative and degrading work. Similarly, in the case of companies like Nestle which he talked quite a bit about, even if they somehow stopped producing all animal products, they are still a multinational corporation that greatly impacts wildlife habitats and exploits humans and nature at an incredibly frightening degree. A capitalist food system and economy will never be a “humane” one.
I do appreciate the lengths that the author and MFA have gone to to protect farm animals and doing what they can, but I think so many more things in this book needed to be discussed that were just left out. I think we have similar intent but a very different path and end goal so this book was not my cup of tea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
heatherr's review
I've had this book on my Audible wishlist for a while but hadn't gotten around to it. I'm glad I finally started to listen to it. I was surprised when it opened with a story of a stealth rescue of chickens from Buckeye Egg Farm in Croton Ohio. At the time of the story I was living in the area and driving past there a lot. The place was hugely hated because of its affects on the people living around it. There would be hoards of flies every summer. The smell was awful and all the groundwater was contaminated from the feces.
Mercy for Animals was started by Nathan Runkle as a teenager and has grown into a huge voice in the animal welfare community. They have sponsored a lot of undercover investigations into abuses at factory farms. The undercover investigators are tough. I couldn't work in slaughterhouses or factory farms for months on end to document abuses. Sadly, it is getting harder to do this kind of work because of agriculture protection laws that punish investigators more than the people perpetrating the abuse.
This was a tough book to listen to because of the abuse that it details. I took a few breaks from it to listen to other books for a day or two.
The last section of the book discusses how technology might help solve the problems. Companies that make plant-based meat substitutes like Beyond Beef are profiled in addition to companies making meat out of animal stem cells. This will allow people to eat meat with any animals being slaughtered. It was nice that this book ended on an uplifting note after all the horrors that came before. This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story
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